diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/CleanCacheService.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/CleanCacheService.java
index 48d5910c3..0838b6770 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/CleanCacheService.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/CleanCacheService.java
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 package org.fdroid.fdroid;
 
+import android.app.AlarmManager;
 import android.app.IntentService;
+import android.app.PendingIntent;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.Intent;
 import android.os.Process;
+import android.os.SystemClock;
+import android.util.Log;
 
 import org.apache.commons.io.FileUtils;
 
@@ -18,9 +22,26 @@ import java.io.File;
 public class CleanCacheService extends IntentService {
     public static final String TAG = "CleanCacheService";
 
-    public static void start(Context context) {
+    /**
+     * Schedule or cancel this service to update the app index, according to the
+     * current preferences. Should be called a) at boot, b) if the preference
+     * is changed, or c) on startup, in case we get upgraded.
+     */
+    public static void schedule(Context context) {
+        long keepTime = Preferences.get().getKeepCacheTime();
+        long interval = 604800000; // 1 day
+        if (keepTime < interval) {
+            interval = keepTime * 1000;
+        }
+        Log.i(TAG, "schedule " + keepTime + " " + interval);
+
         Intent intent = new Intent(context, CleanCacheService.class);
-        context.startService(intent);
+        PendingIntent pending = PendingIntent.getService(context, 0, intent, 0);
+
+        AlarmManager alarm = (AlarmManager) context.getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);
+        alarm.cancel(pending);
+        alarm.setInexactRepeating(AlarmManager.ELAPSED_REALTIME,
+                SystemClock.elapsedRealtime() + 5000, interval, pending);
     }
 
     public CleanCacheService() {
@@ -30,14 +51,7 @@ public class CleanCacheService extends IntentService {
     @Override
     protected void onHandleIntent(Intent intent) {
         Process.setThreadPriority(Process.THREAD_PRIORITY_LOWEST);
-
-        int cachetime;
-        if (Preferences.get().shouldCacheApks()) {
-            cachetime = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
-        } else {
-            cachetime = 3600;  // keep for 1 hour to allow resumable downloads
-        }
-        Utils.clearOldFiles(Utils.getApkCacheDir(this), cachetime);
+        Utils.clearOldFiles(Utils.getApkCacheDir(this), Preferences.get().getKeepCacheTime());
         deleteStrayIndexFiles();
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/FDroidApp.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/FDroidApp.java
index 4213dce38..c774fccd9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/FDroidApp.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/FDroidApp.java
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ public class FDroidApp extends Application {
             }
         });
 
-        CleanCacheService.start(this);
+        CleanCacheService.schedule(this);
 
         UpdateService.schedule(getApplicationContext());
         bluetoothAdapter = getBluetoothAdapter();
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
index 326ac2107..160e655d3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/Preferences.java
@@ -32,9 +32,11 @@ public final class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceCh
 
     private static final String TAG = "Preferences";
 
+    private final Context context;
     private final SharedPreferences preferences;
 
     private Preferences(Context context) {
+        this.context = context;
         preferences = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
         preferences.registerOnSharedPreferenceChangeListener(this);
         if (preferences.getString(PREF_LOCAL_REPO_NAME, null) == null) {
@@ -52,7 +54,7 @@ public final class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceCh
     public static final String PREF_INCOMP_VER = "incompatibleVersions";
     public static final String PREF_THEME = "theme";
     public static final String PREF_IGN_TOUCH = "ignoreTouchscreen";
-    public static final String PREF_CACHE_APK = "cacheDownloaded";
+    public static final String PREF_KEEP_CACHE_TIME = "keepCacheFor";
     public static final String PREF_UNSTABLE_UPDATES = "unstableUpdates";
     public static final String PREF_EXPERT = "expert";
     public static final String PREF_PRIVILEGED_INSTALLER = "privilegedInstaller";
@@ -72,7 +74,7 @@ public final class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceCh
     private static final int DEFAULT_UPD_HISTORY = 14;
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_PRIVILEGED_INSTALLER = false;
     //private static final boolean DEFAULT_LOCAL_REPO_BONJOUR = true;
-    private static final boolean DEFAULT_CACHE_APK = false;
+    private static final long DEFAULT_KEEP_CACHE_SECONDS = 86400;  // one day
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_UNSTABLE_UPDATES = false;
     //private static final boolean DEFAULT_LOCAL_REPO_HTTPS = false;
     private static final boolean DEFAULT_INCOMP_VER = false;
@@ -139,8 +141,32 @@ public final class Preferences implements SharedPreferences.OnSharedPreferenceCh
         PreferencesCompat.apply(preferences.edit().putBoolean(PREF_POST_PRIVILEGED_INSTALL, postInstall));
     }
 
-    public boolean shouldCacheApks() {
-        return preferences.getBoolean(PREF_CACHE_APK, DEFAULT_CACHE_APK);
+    /**
+     * Old preference replaced by {@link #PREF_KEEP_CACHE_TIME}
+     */
+    private static final String PREF_CACHE_APK = "cacheDownloaded";
+
+    /**
+     * Time in seconds to keep cached files.  Anything that has been around longer will be deleted
+     */
+    public long getKeepCacheTime() {
+        String value = preferences.getString(PREF_KEEP_CACHE_TIME, String.valueOf(DEFAULT_KEEP_CACHE_SECONDS));
+
+        if (preferences.contains(PREF_CACHE_APK)) {
+            if (preferences.getBoolean(PREF_CACHE_APK, false)) {
+                value = context.getString(R.string.keep_forever);
+            }
+            SharedPreferences.Editor editor = preferences.edit();
+            editor.remove(PREF_CACHE_APK);
+            editor.putString(PREF_KEEP_CACHE_TIME, value);
+            PreferencesCompat.apply(editor);
+        }
+
+        try {
+            return Long.parseLong(value);
+        } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+            return DEFAULT_KEEP_CACHE_SECONDS;
+        }
     }
 
     public boolean getUnstableUpdates() {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/fragments/PreferencesFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/fragments/PreferencesFragment.java
index a150db286..5043fc914 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/fragments/PreferencesFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/fdroid/fdroid/views/fragments/PreferencesFragment.java
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public class PreferencesFragment extends PreferenceFragment
         Preferences.PREF_IGN_TOUCH,
         Preferences.PREF_LOCAL_REPO_NAME,
         Preferences.PREF_LANGUAGE,
-        Preferences.PREF_CACHE_APK,
+        Preferences.PREF_KEEP_CACHE_TIME,
         Preferences.PREF_EXPERT,
         Preferences.PREF_PRIVILEGED_INSTALLER,
         Preferences.PREF_ENABLE_PROXY,
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ public class PreferencesFragment extends PreferenceFragment
                 }
                 break;
 
-            case Preferences.PREF_CACHE_APK:
-                checkSummary(key, R.string.cache_downloaded_on);
+            case Preferences.PREF_KEEP_CACHE_TIME:
+                entrySummary(key);
                 break;
 
             case Preferences.PREF_EXPERT:
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/array.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/array.xml
index de5f1f86b..c575ea5a4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/array.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/array.xml
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@
         <item>@string/interval_2w</item>
     </string-array>
 
+    <string-array name="keepCacheNames">
+        <item>@string/keep_hour</item>
+        <item>@string/keep_day</item>
+        <item>@string/keep_week</item>
+        <item>@string/keep_month</item>
+        <item>@string/keep_year</item>
+        <item>@string/keep_forever</item>
+    </string-array>
+
     <string-array name="themeNames">
         <item>@string/theme_light</item>
         <item>@string/theme_dark</item>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/donottranslate.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/donottranslate.xml
index d6a202fab..c7d387726 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/donottranslate.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/donottranslate.xml
@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@
         <item>336</item>
     </string-array>
 
+    <string-array name="keepCacheValues">
+        <item>3600</item>
+        <item>86400</item>
+        <item>604800</item>
+        <item>2592000</item>
+        <item>31449600</item>
+        <item>2147483647</item>
+    </string-array>
+
     <string-array name="themeValues">
         <item>light</item>
         <item>dark</item>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index d2203a659..2b2cb2c8b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
     <string name="by_author">by</string>
     <string name="delete">Delete</string>
     <string name="enable_nfc_send">Enable NFC Send…</string>
-    <string name="cache_downloaded">Cache packages</string>
-    <string name="cache_downloaded_on">Keep downloaded package files on device</string>
+    <string name="cache_downloaded">Keep cached apps</string>
+    <string name="cache_downloaded_on">Keep downloaded APK files on device</string>
     <string name="updates">Updates</string>
     <string name="unstable_updates">Unstable updates</string>
     <string name="unstable_updates_summary">Suggest updates to unstable versions</string>
@@ -383,6 +383,13 @@
     <string name="interval_1w">Weekly</string>
     <string name="interval_2w">Every 2 weeks</string>
 
+    <string name="keep_hour">1 Hour</string>
+    <string name="keep_day">1 Day</string>
+    <string name="keep_week">1 Week</string>
+    <string name="keep_month">1 Month</string>
+    <string name="keep_year">1 Year</string>
+    <string name="keep_forever">Forever</string>
+
     <string name="theme_light">Light</string>
     <string name="theme_dark">Dark</string>
     <string name="theme_night">Night</string>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml b/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
index 4b2c7d14f..31fb9aee9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/xml/preferences.xml
@@ -73,9 +73,10 @@
             android:dependency="enableProxy" />
     </PreferenceCategory>
     <PreferenceCategory android:title="@string/other">
-        <CheckBoxPreference android:title="@string/cache_downloaded"
-            android:defaultValue="false"
-            android:key="cacheDownloaded" />
+        <ListPreference android:title="@string/cache_downloaded"
+            android:key="keepCacheFor"
+            android:entries="@array/keepCacheNames"
+            android:entryValues="@array/keepCacheValues" />
         <CheckBoxPreference android:title="@string/expert"
             android:defaultValue="false"
             android:key="expert" />